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I took SSRI's for 12 years. I drastically reduced sugar in my diet, started exercising, and I've been off for 2 years and I'm doing better than I ever did while on the medication.

Being anxious everytime I wake up, at work, being in public, reading a book, is paralyzing. My anxiety has prevented me a lot of things in life, and depression has developed from there, crying myself to sleep because of this disability. Helplessness is all you feel when these emotions drown you, tiptoeing in life just to survive the day. Healthy people have no idea how hard I’ve tried to change my mind and follow their advice, but it's impossible when these emotions and thoughts control you. Taking these pills help me to relax, wake up happy, able to do my work properly, easier with being social, and the ability to study. When I do mistakes, I move on, and no longer panicking and overthinking how bad person I am. This "numbness" is amazing and have literally helped me dealing with life. So yeah, antidepressants are good and belong to those who really needs it.

Taking SSRIs has been the best decision I’ve ever made in my life. I’ve felt my emotions so deeply my entire life, I’ve never been able to make sound intelligent decisions because my EMOTIONS were in the way. That is what caused my anxiety and depression. Now? I feel like my head is so clear. I don’t hate myself or my life anymore. It’s so freeing. Sure I can’t cry as easily, or climax like I used to. But living a life without being an emotional depressed trainwreck was so much worse! I can finally focus on school and I left my emotionally abusive five year relationship because I didn’t have my emotions overpowering my mind! I’m much much happier this way.

I’ve been on SSRIs for 5 years now. I can absolutely still emphasize, climax, and cry. The biggest difference is that when I cry now…I can stop and move on with my day. Before antidepressants, a crying episode (which happened a lot) would leave me sad for days afterwards. And the emotions (good or bad) were just draining. It’s physically and mentally exhausting to lose your marbles and not being able to recollect them. The antidepressants for me are more like a rope ladder. I’m able to grab on and climb out of the emotions (can still feel them, just don’t drown in them) . And now I am also on Wellbutrin (as a booster) and it also has drastically changed my ability to focus my new energy (that I have because I don’t spend so much of it on emotional drainage) .

I haven't noticed any of these side effects...but even if I had, it's better than having no energy all day and wanting to commit suicide for no reason whatsoever. A lot of unfounded judgement from people who have no idea in these comments.

Why should empathy be a priority? People with depression and anxiety have struggled enough, and we don't need to devote our happiness to anyone else until we can enjoy our own happiness.

What this woman is saying is true to an extent. I have been taking ssri’s for 3/4 years, and I quit 2 months ago. Looking back, I can definitely see I had less empathy, couldn’t cry very often etc. Although my mood was stable, I didn’t get panic attacks... I have panic attacks everytime I have to leave the house now, sometimes even when I have to leave my room. I cry multiple times a day, I feel like the world is just too much for my brain to handle. On my meds, I didn’t feel apathetic, I just had the right amount of empathy and emotions to function like a normal human being. Yes, ssri’s do these things, but if you’re on the right dosage and you actually have a mental illness that can’t be fixed with just therapy, they might save your life, like they did for me. I’m probably going back on them soon. Don’t judge people who take them unless you have been right there in their shoes. You do not know what others are going through. Some people can function just fine with a little therapy, excercise and a healthy diet. Others need medication to fix chemical imbalances in their brain. And you have no right to judge their choice to try and feel happy again. Everyone deserves to feel happy.

I understand what you’re saying but when you naturally have so much empathy that it hurts or so much sensitivity that you never get ahead, these things are a lifesaver and I can live with some disturbance in my sex life. I resisted them for years because I thought it was a crutch but now I know that for some people we do have a chemical imbalance and No matter how much therapy or meditation or walking or journaling, Life can be a constant struggle when you have depression. I can still cry and feel deeply for people and animals. I still feel pain when I see a small child or an animal scared or hurt.

I don't epathize, climax nor cry anyways. All those people talking about side effects of anti-depressants should realise how devastating the side effects of depression are.

Id rather be on antidepressants and feeling like a zombie than constantly being feared for my life.

After crying almost everyday for 15 months, I'm happy to have a break.

It was being emotional and empathizing that got me into depression in the first place. I'm done. Now I can flip the script in my own life and not deal with people who preyed on my state.

My ability to empathize hasn’t gone down. I still cry because I’m a sensitive human. I just now can live my life without panic attacks and without having my emotions make all my important decisions because of antidepressants.

Climax...lol...sex is the last thing on a depressed person's mind...Prozac works for me...

I think you really have to have gone through moderate-to-severe CLINICAL depression to understand that being a "zombie" (in the short term) is infinitely preferable to feeling the lowest of lows, pain, fear, darkness etc. Speaking from experience, once the medication takes hold and your brain chemistry improves, you slowly start to feel better and better and eventually get back to feeling "normal" again, which is an amazing feeling. You eventually will laugh/cry/feel all like you used to before while being on the medication. And you may not have to be on the medication -- most people get off it after a year or two. Medication is a godsend for so many.

i’ve been on zoloft for about 3 months now and empathy was the last thing on my mind before and now, a depressed person could care less about others feelings when they have to worry about their own smh😤

I know people that have never taken ssri's in their life yet are the most apathetic people I've ever met.

I have noticed that I can't cry , not even when I was excruciating pain and had to be rushed to the hospital Wednesday....I don't mind not being able to cry or be over empathetic. Maybe it's just me , but this is coming from a person who cried too much, felt to much , couldn't handle the smallest stresses , was over overly sensitive, always frustrated and overwhelmed by any and everything . So not being able to feel isn't bothering me ( at the moment ) I haven't experienced any weight gain ..I lost 5 pounds in a week though...not sure how healthy that is . I'm okay with the vivid dreams . I've experienced similar dreams my whole life , from feeling literal pain to feeling like I was dying in my dreams ...I haven't had a single nightmare since on these meds . I just wake up calm

I'm really sure you can help yourself to be healthier. I already did that thanks to Weedborn.

I was on and off antidepressants since age 17 , i'm now 43 . I'm finally free of them . Never will touch them again. Until i got to the root of my problems nothing changed. I had so much unforgiveness and bitterness . I had to dig deep and let it all go .

I think many people including myself are prescribed anti-depressants because depression is so serious that we can't get out of bed and going to work becomes very difficult. I don't know about these women taking anti-depressants because their friends, coworkers are taking the SSRIs and to get ahead...? Well, we live in a very competitive society and that adds even more pressure especially to women. But I don't know any women who are taking antidepressants because of peer pressure (sort of) at work. I have been taking anti-depressants and don't even want to share this with my coworkers. There is still deep stigma against depression and antidepressants. Many people think depression is a sign of weakness, we should be able to cope with it. People who make this type of insensitive comments don't understand what is like to suffer from depression. But I do think that medication is not a permanent solution and we have to change our lifestyles, use more coping skills so we don't rely on medication so much.

Quintessential feminine things: - Crying - Climaxing - Empathy - Passion. Alright

I found my empathy increasing after starting Fluoxetine. With SSRIs, I am no longer so wrapped up in my horrible thoughts so I can shift the focus on to other people and start to make them feel good about themselves. I am no longer living inside my own head. No longer feeling that I’m not worthy of love or friendship or respect. No longer feeling like I can’t live through the worst possible outcome of a given scenario-I am now capable of recognising that even when shit happens, I will ultimately be okay. Depression and anxiety no longer dictate the way I frame things. I can see why you might think it causes people to worry less about consequences but, for someone like me, who was on the other end of the spectrum where I worried about EVERYTHING, I have found a happy and fulfilled middle ground. It doesn’t turn me into some sort of manic risk-seeker. I’m still cautious and rarely rush into situations without thinking about the consequences. SSRIs are NOT for everyone. But they can change your life if you fit the right criteria. P.S. This is a bonus for me but might not be great for people with ED-sex tends to last a lot longer on SSRIs!

I miss my emotions when I’m on antidepressants. I don’t give a shit about everyone. The thing about being manic is not true because you feel sleepy and sluggish. You become insensitive, less passionate, less interested. It’s like playing with your emotions. That’s why I don’t want to use it anymore.

I was on anti depressants and I always was able to cry when I needed to, just wanted to remind everyone that she's generalizing :)

This woman clearly has NO CLUE what she is talking about, SSRIs save millions of lives. If you believe that it's more important to "climax" or to cry at a movie than to feel like an actual human being, one that deserves to live just like everyone else, maybe you should reevaluate your priorities. Don't believe her. Just ask anyone who owes their lives to SSRIs. Thank the scientists who saved so many people from suicide and their families from the horrific pain of loss.

I was on anti depressants for 20 years of my life and now I'm completely off them and feel so much happier and more myself I think they should only be used in emergencyies if suicidal person and only for a temporary time

I see a lot of comments defending the use of antidepressants. I would have done the same when I started taking venlafaxine (effexor). I started to change my opinion when it turned out that my liver suffered from that drug. Retrospectively, I would also say that my physician was dishonest: She told me that that the drug wasn't addictive. What she didn't tell me was that this didn't mean that you wouldn't be dependent on the drug. KZfaq is, as you may have noticed, full with videos about the problem of quitting venlafaxine. I am not a female. However, I can confirm that what is said in the video applies to males as well. If your depression isn't too severe, you should definitely stay away from these drugs.

Are men not empathic, and sensitive....really? Isn't that polarizing and insulting to generalize like that!?

Statements like "quintessential feminine things are: climax, cry, empathy, sensitivity, passion" make me fucking angry. Who do you think wrote all the passionate poems, that caress your heart, when your lover left you? What musicians had all the sensitivity to feel so differentiated, to compose classical music, which makes men an women still weep after hundreds of years? Can't remember too many women... (yeah, I know, in those times women were suppressed, but still). Quintessential feminine things my ass.

Psilocybin containing mushrooms save my life. The drastically reduced my benzodiazepine withdrawal allowing me to quite illicit pill addiction after three years of heavy daily use before it would had became medically dangerous to quit

It's creepy how she describes crying as a "quintessential female thing"

There was a time in my life when I: 1) Could not envision ever being able to hold down a job; 2) Was afraid to leave my home state and travel, to the point where my entire family would go on vacation and I would stay home; 3) Was a chronic hypochondriac; 4) Was cripplingly indecisive. I could probably list another dozen serious problems inhibiting me from thriving. Antidepressants (first Celexa, then Wellbutrin, and eventually Prozac and Wellbutrin) along with some talk therapy have enabled me to live a "normal life" in the best sense of the term. I have worked and thrived in professional jobs for the past 13 years; previously even a day at work was torturous. I travel and have experienced many things I once only read about in books. I have a healthy social life and am actively pursuing artistic and creative endeavors. I have many great friends (not unhealthy relationships like I used to have with bullying type individuals) and an excellent relationship with everyone in my family. I have also learned through talk therapy to set boundaries, in a way that wouldn't have been possible without the aid of antidepressants. I have actively volunteered for 7 years while on antidepressants and don't see any lack of empathy whatsoever; what I do see is an ability to add rationality to my empathy and to put my empathy into action instead of lying at home in a crumpled heap. I am able to function better in the midst of difficulty rather than being crippled by it; personally I don't consider this equivalent to "not feeling". This is just one person's experience. Believe what you will.

I don't think people grasp the difference between a feeling and a mood. Depression really needs to be better explained by doctors with very real examples and lots of dialog

Several people I know including myself have described a feeling of being numb on antidepressants. It's one reason among many I stopped taking them years ago and sought out psychological therapy instead.

I read articles often that talk about how society today is significantly less empathetic than it was in the past, about how the generations today are having less sex than ever, and in my own experience how people just seem generally unsympathetic (let alone empathetic?). It also seems like in society today that most people are on some kind of antidepressant? Connection anyone???

I’ve gone through multiple antidepressants and it’s always the same thing: first few months everything is abnormally great and then it fades and I’m back to the way I was 6 months later. Also, the nightmare of quitting one is no joke. A friend of mine has been addicted to heroin, cocaine and alcohol (at different periods in his life) and said that quitting an antidepressant was worse than all 3 combined because 1) it lasted 6 months to a year and 2) his own thoughts were not in his control and they were horrible, horrible thought patterns every waking second of the day.

I've been on 150 mg of one for like 15 years now. I've never had any of these issues but I think I'm the most well adjusted member of my family...And the only one who ever sought any help

I am very content with the antidepressants im taking. Without them my emotions would be too strong and overwhelming to manage. I am able to figure things out logically before acting, feel strong and self-confident, and have a balanced perspective on life. I no longer want to die, I no longer believe that everyone hates me, and I no longer consider myself to be a piece of shit. All the things you mentioned (aside from the climaxing) are positives to me.

Haha, love how she makes anti-depressants seem like a terrible choice but then suggests Weed which is well known for triggering psychosis and Schizophrenia in people who have anxiety and depression..

One thing my therapist has taught me is that emotions are NOT a bad thing or some kind of disease to get rid of. Also being a sensitive person is not something that should be changed with pills. I wish more doctors would encourage people to seek therapy, trauma-work, mindfulness and healthy ways to regulate emotions, not just always the pills. Healthier ways certainly do exist, they have helped me a great deal in managing a life without medications. Also too many doctors don't tell about the potentially serious side-effects that these meds can cause and the awful withdrawal symptoms.

My boyfriend is on Antidepressants. They make things so difficult for me. I’m glad he’s not sad but his lack of regular emotions creates distance between us and makes him essentially not feel the joy and love that I feel for him. And the sex thing is very true, climax is nearly impossible. I’m just terrified that antidepressants are ruining our relationship.

This is a dangerous video for someone with anxiety or depression or both, to watch. Im on an SSRI and I am, still, overly empathetic- it hurts! I am regaining the passion I totally lost when I was in the worst place of my life. People who are feeling utterly dreadful don’t care much about whether they reach climax - as if that’s so important- but it doesn’t totally stop me. Finding the right SSRI can be difficult but you have to weigh up the pros and cons. Don’t read and read all the side effects. I rarely comment on any videos but this popped up and I felt I needed to say to anyone concerned- the positives and hugely outweighed the negatives once through the tough first 6-8 weeks.

This video is dangerous! Lady I would be dead if it wasn’t for antidepressants.

Getting off anti-depressants was the best move I ever made. I still have some depression, but atleast I can feel emotions again :- )

So it's all just women now?

Anxiety disorder makes you paralyzed. It makes your life hell. Yk what it's like to get panic attacks for normal daily things that people do with so much ease. Anxiety has ruined my life and meds have helped me so much. It's really difficult to focus on anything else when you're always overwhelmed and your emotions guide your life. Yes there are a few side effects but for the first time in a long time I'm able to think a little bit clearly and I'm not caught up inside my head. There's already so much shame attached to seeking treatment for mental health and taking medicines, i had been ashamed and it took me almost a decade to get to this point and I also know that meds are not one stop solution to my problems but they have been such a huge help.

Everyone is different. Personally, I found that the negative side-effects get more noticeable the higher dosage you take. (Obviously) I lowered my dosage because I found I was feeling numb and unexcited, and now I feel great. SSRIs changed my life and I feel MORE like myself because I have less anxiety and my sadness is actually manageable. Some people go on them for a bit, some go on for a lifetime. Some try them and it makes them feel like crap. It isn't the same for everyone haha

For me, I think antidepressants can give you a little push to your moods and positivity...You can take advantage of your happier moods to inculcate healthy constructive habits like exercising, new hobbies, etc. which will build new neural pathways...Also, through exercising and healthy habits, you will gain more health, energy and confidence...When you are ready, by consulting your doctor you can try stopping the medications by gradually tapering off...this is exactly what i am doing right now

I suffer from a type of sound sensitivity that had a very sudden onset. It separates me from certain people and places. It’s made me more depressed than I’ve ever been. I was really skeptical about SSRI’s, but I’ve gotta be honest here...Zoloft was amazing. It took my irritability, anxiety, and depression from a 9 to a 2. And it had other benefits that I didn’t even see coming. My social anxiety vanished. I’d never realized how much I had! So I no longer put up with certain toxic people at work. I mean I’m well liked around my workplace, but I remember looking one of them in the eye and saying “shut the fuck up.” And then just held the stare. Now they leave me alone or are just nice to me! And Zoloft really freed up my mind. Doing projects around the house became a piece of cake. I built a set of landscaping steps and two garden boxes in my backyard. I NEVER do stuff like that. And at no point did I have to rethink anything or constantly question my own ability or get anxious about picking all the wood up from Home Depot...just built all this stuff within a few days. I won’t get into some of the downsides and why I got off of it after several months, but I’m A LOT less judgmental about these drugs now.

This is so well said. When I stopped SSRIs I realized how much of life I was missing. Emotions are as much as sense as touch, sight, etc.; we use them to interpret our experience of reality, they inform us. When I was on SSRIs, I had the emotional equivalent to how taste and smell are muted with a head cold. I also wonder how much of society's problems today are a result of a population overmedicated on SSRIs and thus not having the emotional response we evolved to live a society. It seem obvious that there is a muted empathy response with folks today. Sad thing is that we have no chance against pharma companies' huge marketing budgets to discuss other options. Sigh.

Trying to get better "naturally" almost killed me and wasted a year and a half of my life where I was so miserable I could barely function other than dragging myself to work. Shaming people for using antidepressants makes me absolutely FURIOUS. I would have thrown myself off a bridge without them and I was still ashamed because of this kind of bullsh*t messaging. They absolutely saved my life. I am extremely privileged in that I had access an excellent GP and psychologist, was able to afford and access good food, yoga, safe places to exercise, supplements etc etc etc. But depression stole my willpower, energy, ability to sleep properly and literally made me incapable of hauling myself out for a run. Getting out of bed and through the shower to work took everything I had in me. Antidepressants gave me a little bit of space and energy back that I could then start building consistently better habits and finally get into an upwards spiral and feel like myself again. I still had to work at it, they don't make you magically happy they just make the oppressive smothering hopelessness a not totally crushing load. I had to try several before I found one that was effective with a tolerable side effects profile but it was so worth it and even the ones that I tried and didn't stick with would have been better than nothing if they were all that was available. Please, if you think you need them don't let anyone make you feel bad about it, you're already going through enough. Fighting depression means you are strong not weak, it's a very hard thing to do. No one takes antidepressants just for the hell of it. Exercise and other lifestyle interventions are effective for managing mood when you are just a bit down and as a preventative for relapse but telling someone who is severely depressed to just get more exercise and sleep is cruel, we are literally incapable at that point. I totally recommend Andrew Solomon's beautiful talk on depression over this judgemental garbage 💜

These antidepressants don't really make you happy. I'd say they make you numb. And while majorly depressed and struggling with mental illness, that is a good thing. But generally, I'd say that if you're just feeling low or have emotions caused naturally from an experience, I'd try to stay away from antidepressants. These meds also come with loads of side-effects.

I'm a person who needs medication to avoid extreme emotional & neurological problems, so, i can't really relate to what she's saying. People have been saying bad things about meds for years and i don't see this as much different than the old arguments. Also, saying women have to be moody seems almost like it's reinforcing a sexist stereotype of women. That said, i agree that certain meds are very powerful and dangerous so, you have to find the right med for you... i went thru quite a few different meds before i found the combo that works for me. So i understand and agree with that part of her argument.

Wow! I needed to hear this. I’ve started taking Paxil. And I don’t like the side effects. I’m naturally a very emotional passionate but anxious person. I don’t want to loose my empathy and passion that are my strengths as I see them....

Interesting video. I'm on 25 mg of Sertraline (Zoloft) and I can say that I'm far less weepy, depressed, stressed out, anxious, and overwhelmed. My emotions and feelings are still in tact and I have always been an empathizer - so much so that it's hurt me - but now I have more control over my emotions, feelings, and moods. It's not perfect. The medication makes me irritable and I easily become agitated but I can clearly identify those moods as a side-effect so no big deal. I still have to work at being motivated to do things - but the SSRI (even that low dose) has made a tremendous impact on my daily life.

really? actually ssri's made me able to empathize with others and stop seeing all as a neverending cycle of pure shit on me being flushed, time and time again, with more shit; actually they didn't stop me from seeing that, but the anguish, the nonsense state of being in a corner and only having in mind the words, 'all this is shit', that came with it. as for crying, yeah, it stops it a bit. I don't see what's wrong with that.

i was always against anti depressants, but i needed some to get through a time in my life. Then after i took them, i realised how much i did need them all those years with out. I was always up and down, i was more emotionally driven, which held me back. I got angry and upset over too many things. Some people just have a in-balance of chemicals in their brains. Me included. I just did not realise this. Now, I think more logical, and i feel i have a balance of logic and emotions. I see this in-balance as a unseen disability. But its one that can be treated. I feel I have a real bright future, my life starts now. If you are experiencing problems taking any anti-depressants, its either too little, too much or the wrong type of drug for you. Go back to your doctor and get your prescription adjusted.

Epic gamer fact: I'm on an SSRI and if anything it's made me more empathetic and emotional since I can now feel things other than ✨pain and dullness✨

Thank you! I used to be empathetic, now I feel like a sociopath. My depression is bad so I take ssri's but the lack of empathy actually causes me stress! I talk to people and feel so detached from their experiences. I feel detached to my own normally painful experiences also which is even weirder.

I thought depression itself most of the time you feel no emotion feel empty, passionless.. medication should actually help it if you truly are depressed..

Antidepressants work differently for everyone. Its up to you to see if the side effects are worth the symptoms that their treating.

Suffering from OCD I can confirm that SSRIs initially stabilized me after a botched therapy that worsened my symptoms. Last year I tried to cut out the SSRI and after two weeks I had the worst relapse imaginable - it kind of feels to me that this medication has damaged my brain. My brain just kept on producing this unbearable fear that almost led to suicide. Thanks be to God I found a good therapist and I am attempting ERP for my OCD. Godwillingly I will be able to live without SSRIs at one point.

Don't forget to think about how these medications affect people differently!! SSRIs are helpful to a lot of people, there's nothing wrong with taking medication. I believe it's crucial to find the proper dosage for the individual, that is if they actually need an SSRI. I found that I was able to be more myself (and less influenced by my anxiety and depression) when I experimented with my dosage to see what I needed! I do not regret starting this medication three years ago. Some people might be able to live without it, but it is okay to depend on medicine to improve your health.

Lift Do regular cardio Track your macros/micros Take a multi/fish oil Meditate Cut back on TV/social media Cut out ANY negative influences in your life Do not invest time or money into anyone or anything that doesn't benefit you or isn't a positive sum relationship (both gaining) Watch videos/lectures you enjoy on a daily basis Read books you enjoy Reach out/network with a new person per week A simple checklist to complete BEFORE looking at other options

Why is it that after a while antidepressants don't seem to do much for depression? If you stop them abruptly though, you feel like you've been dropped down a hole.

So, we should stop taking regulated doses of purified, tested, and pharmaceutical-grade medication and start taking unregulated herbal supplements that are supposed to have the same mechanism of effect?

depressed ppl tend to be very sensitive and sometimes very caring, they take anger out on themselves rather then others little less empathy might be a good thing

I'm on cipralex, and I can relate completely to this. It's hard to cry, I lack empathy etc. However, I am much happier, and I've been doing so much better health wise. So I will definitely be staying on this antidepressant.

"antidepresents make it harder to be human" is how i read the title.

antidepressants//antipsychotics etc. causes suicidal ideation//homicial tendencies

I had a friend who took antidepressants for a short time. He say they made him not care about anything. When driving he didn't care if the car wrecked or anything at all. He got off of them pretty quickly after that. I'm glad he did. I didn't want to lose the friend he was. The person who was truly him. Seems like our society wants people to be narcissistic in nature. Not feeling anything at all. Murders and criminal behaviors abound.

I was on Wellbutrin and it wasn't like a "thing that made me have bad decisions" pill. I know it's different from person to person but all this type of video does is encourage people to stop taking antidepressants without knowing what they're doing. We're not overmedicated, we're misprescribed

I take Paxil, have since I was 14 and now I'm 30. It's well controlled and I see my doctor regularly. Over the years I've had to lower or increase the dose with the way that life goes. But in all this time I've never felt it make me numb to any type of emotion. I love, I laugh, I cry, I have (good) sex. I use it as a tool to help me get past my natural anxiety about life in general, and it works. I don't depend on it. I feel like even a professional shouldn't make blanket statements about how enough "sunshine" can replace some peoples emotional deficiency. Just seems silly to think that some people out there may actually benefit from use. While of course taking it because your friends are taking it sounds idiotic.

I took ssri for my ocd and depression as prescribed by my doctor. Regret it now. This doctor is right. Dont listen to comment section here.

When can I get that decrease in empathy? I've been taking it and I still am overly emotional

So since I have taken quitipine and sertraline I have had the best year of my life. I've saved money, got in the gym, able to relax more, think more clearly. Oh, I can still cry, both in sorrow and happiness. Everything you've stated is completely the opposite effect that I've had.

All these symptoms are for those who arent diagnosed with depression and are still taking anti-depressants. For people who are diagnosed with depression, life only gets better with anti-depressant. I was diagnosed with depression, social anxiety and panic attacks and anti-depressants have worked wonders for me. Whats even better is that I had high blood pressure which didnt respond to BP medication but since taking anti-depressants my BP is perfectly normal.

I began to worry that I turned into a sociopath and seeked help because I wasn't feeling the empathy and sympathy I always felt. Turned out to be the meds.

I LOVE not feeling like myself. I am more confident and less emotional. When I started taking Zoloft I thought "Wow, so this is what normal feels like." Sometimes you just need it. I hate the weight gain though.

LMAO, as someone that has been on Zoloft, Quetiapine and Lamictal for 7 years I can tell you: I DO CRY A LOT STILL, I have orgasms and I do empathize. Honestly, people who have been through this should be the ones that talk about this.

A Dr. wanted me to try an antidepressant, (can't remember which one it was) but I took one. My husband and I went out to eat, I remember I couldn't sit still, my appetite wasn't there, I was figedy, my pupils were the size of my eyes. It took 24 hour's to get out of me. I finally returned to me after 24 hour's. I threw the rest away and have never taken any again. Dr. said it was a very low dose too but dang! Noooo! God bless you and everyone with eye's to see and ears to hear!! 🙏🙏💞

They can also give you parkinsonism, complete sexual dysfunction, and irreversible nervous system damage for life. I learned the hard way.

Better than watching my mom lay in bed waiting for death to take her. Sometimes with medications there is a give and take. If they help someone WANT to stay alive..thats what matters.

My empathy levels actually increased after I started taking anti depressants

I used to be able to empathize with people, but now that I have been on Escitalopram for almost a year, I find it hard to care, I started noticing this a while back, I used to be really good at listening to people and simply letting them talk and empathize with them, now I have to pay attention for cues so that I can respond and act like I actually care so they don't think I am a heartless bastard, I am aware that I should care, but I don't, friends, family and coworkers would tell me their problems, serious problems some times, and I feel very little if anything, its like everything now is just simply matter of fact to me. Maybe I should just talk to my doctor about this, he does seems to genuinely care about my well being whenever I go see him.

These meds saved my life and I’ve never had these side effects.

The side effects are horrible.

Why is she conflating "moodiness" with clinical depression?? She is regurgitating the myth that depression is just some sort of bad state of mind you need to work through. This is bullshit

I hated all antidepressants, depression is not an illness that needs medication, its a warning from your body that your life is not going in a way that works for you. Change your life, find fulfilment, depression will not linger.

I’ve been on anti-depressants for two years now, and it has been a life saver! That’s the video that encouraged me to ask my doctor for a prescription lol Sorry for not wanting to be neurotic, and forgive me for not wanting to change the world, just wanting to be happy! Your criticisms and negative opinions on anti-depression were pros to me! You basically want us to be constantly dissatisfied, rigidly stinking, demanding others for perfection, having intrusive philosophical and existential thoughts just to participate in changing others and for the collective goods of our society! How cruel! Almost commonest cruel! I had all those things all my life and lived 40 years thinking that it’s just the way it is to be intellectual, idealist, and socially conscious! Well, no! It’s called depression and OCD because all of that disappear after one week of SSRI! I still have the same values! I didn’t change on an intellectual or a logical level, but my empathy and my sense of justice and what’s right and wrong are not eating me alive, costing me relationships, or making me cry myself to bed every day anymore! I’m still not indifferent and definitely not apathetic! I just have a different perspective on things now! I see them with a bird-eyed view without burning myself with their fire, and I easily know how to prioritize! Sometimes when we get too involved, we cannot make any change, let alone that we cannot make any positive change in others when you are sad and when your personal life is falling apart! I appreciate your honesty.

My mom was a very empathetic person went from having a world full of feelings to being a unemotionally attached person who hates a lot of people for what they did to her I don’t blame her for that though they are truly evil people but I feel like I lost my mom when she went on the medicine ever since she has not been the same I don’t think she will come back to life she is getting older now 2 years from sixty and her mind is far gone it’s like someone you once knew and loved died and you couldn’t be there for the funeral because they are still alive but it really isn’t them

Definitely relate to this... I was on the subway the other day and the woman beside me was holding her head down, crying. I felt nothing, did nothing. Looking back, had I been off the meds, I probably would've asked what I could do to help.

I took ssri's prescribed by psychiatrists for anxiety. Stopped it due to emotional numbing. 5 years later and I still have emotional numbness. Biggest regret of my life taking these brain damaging poisons!

Anti-depressants only work short term. They were never made to be on long term. I say this as someone who has been on them for over a decade. The research shows it’s really unhealthy to stay on them and it offers no actual benefit after a certain amount of time, but the suicidal ideation when coming off them can be so terrifying that it’s hard to transition to being off them.

I am more compassionate with my medication. It's the disorder that should focused on. In my case generalised anxiety disorder.

I have found that alcohol, exercise, good friends, pets, good books and diet all work together in moderation. You should also look at your life and deem what may be causing pain and ask yourself is it temporary or permanent. If it's permanent than leave it ( person, situation) behind.

i’ve been taking various ssris for the better part of 5 years and even if they don’t end up working with me for a long time, i would ten thousand percent rather take my antidepressants than be able to come. the fact that i am able to do day-to-day activities without hiding in my room and laying in my bed all day is a real blessing and i’m extremely lucky to be on them.

Sertraline can change people beyond recognition. I'm living that fact daily. Empathy becomes a thing of the past and love in general becomes massively, diluted.